Measuring and controlling system



Feb. 11, 1941. J RYDER 2,233,70

MEASURING AND CONTROLLING SYSTEM Filed Feb. 17, 19sa 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ZSnventor JOHN D. Prom Feb. 11, 1941. RYDER 2,231,570

MEASURING AND CONTROLLING SYSTEM Filed Feb. 17, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Snventor JOHN D. Brune- Bg W 19 Feb. 11, 1941. Q RYDER 2,231,570

MEASURING AND CONTROLLING SYSTEM Filed Feb. 17, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 AC. on- DC.

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1 v JOHN D. RYDER Patented Feb. 11, 1941 2 3 7 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE 2,231,570 MEASURING AND comoumc. srs'rmu John D. Ryder, University Heights, Ohio, assignor to Bailey Meter Company, a corporation of Delaware Application February 17, 1938, Serial No. 191,050

12 Claims. (01. 111-4151) This invention relates to the art oi'measuring Fi 1 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment and/or controlling the magnitude of a variable of the invention. I quality, quantity, condition, relation, etc., and Fig. 2 shows a modification oi a irent of particularly such variables as temperature, pres- Fig. 1. a

i sure, rate of fluid flow, etc, although the variable F13. 3 is similar to Fig. 1 with some modifica- 6 may be of any physical, chemical, electrical, hytions.

draulic, thermal, or other nature 'or character- Fig. 4 illustrates a second embodiment oi my istic. invention. 1

- In accordance with my invention I cause the Figs. 5 6, 7, and 8 show modifications oi the effective area of an electrode of an electron disarrangement of Fig. 4. charge device to be varied proportional to the Fig. 9illustrates amodiilcatio I instantaneous magnitude of the condition or var- Fig. 10 shows a further embodiment of the iniabie to be measured and then by a suitable measvention. urlng circuit, of which the electron discharge dc- Reierring now in particular to Fig. 1, I therein vice is a part, I determine the magnitude of the illustrate my improved measuring apparatus and is variable, or obtain a measurement or movement electrical circuit in connection with the remote representative of such magnitude. indication of a fluid pressure. The conduit I may Such measurement or movement may then be be adapted to contain a static or flowing fluid, utilized in the control of the same or other varthe pressure of which is desirably to be remotely iable or variables. measured for visual indication or as a guide to 20 A primary object 01 my invention is to provide the control of the pressure or another variable.

7 a measuring apparatus capable of exhibiting var- Sensitive to the fluid pressure is a Bourdon iations in the actual magnitude of a condition or tube 2, from the free end of which is suspended variable substantially instantaneously with the a link 3 carrying at itslowerend the plunger-4 occurrence of'such variation and so that an obof a solenoid. The link I is pivotally connected 25 server will be advised of the magnitude of the conto move an element 5 through and iasdition at any time existing and not of the magtened to a thin metal diaphragm I forming an nitude which existed at some time previously,-exend closure of an electron discharge device I.

' cept insofar as such condition might be recorded, The electron discharge device I is preferably for permanent record. In other words, to avoid a 2-element tube having a movable 'B l U and 30 a time delay between the occurrence of a change a heated cathode I. The envelope. of-which the in magnitude and the presentation of such diaphragm 6 forms a part. i! be of metal or or change for observation upon a measuring instruglass, but preferably of such shape and construcment or as applied to control apparatus. tion that the diaphragm 6 will flex to allow move- A desirable feature or the invention is that the ment or the mode 8 it he e ope as a 35 said measurement or movement may be ampliresult of positioning the member I through means fled many times and may be transmitted to a external to the envelope, such as the Bourdon point remote relative to the variable'to which the tube 2. i 1 apparatus i nsitiv 7 Such an electron discharge device or tube is I 40 An important object of the invention is the preferably a gh vacuum tube or the re ula in so, inclusion of an anti-hunting means tending to time, wherein the eflective electronemitting or allow maximum speed QP'QtOntlOl with a minimum electronreceiving areas of the electrodes are varof over-travel or hunting. led without necessarily changing the distance A further object is to so arrange the control between the electrodes. As shown in the drawcircuit that control of either a floating or posiings, movement of the anode 8 relative to the ,5

tioning characteristic may be obtained. cathode s causes a change in magnitude of the My invention will be best understood by refelectric current which flows through the tube, and erence to the accompanying drawings in which I while the tube is notof the stop-start grid-conhave shown preferred embodiments thereof and trol type, nevertheless movement of the anode,

which will be described hereinafter. I desire to away from thecathode in sufllcient extent may go have it understood however that various changes reduce the current e to zero. can be made in the construction and arrange Thereis" ormally a current flow irom the AC ment of the parts without departing from the or D. 0. source ll, through the anode 8, cathode spirit and scope of the invention. 9, and resistor l'l varied in quantity by the posi- In the drawings: 1 tion or the anoderelative to the cathode. Such heated filament type.

current flow producesa voltage drop across the resistor II; which is applied to the input circuit of a multi-electrode grid-controlled electron discharge device l2 having an anode l3, a grid l4, and a cathode 15. Such a tube is preferably a relay and amplifying tube and is shown as of a The circuit is such that the grid 14 is negative relative to the cathode 05 in varying amounts,

dependent upon the voltage drop across the re- The ammeter It may be located remotely and provides a visual indication of fluid pressure within the conduit Current flow through the solenoid winding I'I produces a varying effect upon the core 4 to oppose movement of the Bourdon tube and balance the same. The inclusion in the arrangemenlt of the solenoid 4, H for opposing movement of the Bourdon tube 2 tends to eliminate error producing eflects of tube characteristics and voltage variations throughout the circuit, and has the further advantage that the Bourdon tube need not be accurately calibrated, for it, does nothave to assume a position definitely indicative of pressure but each time returns almost to the original position; The system comes to .a state of equilibrium regard-less of the position of rest of the free end of the Bourdon tube and when such state of equilibrium between pressure of the fluid within the Bourdon tube and pull on the solenoid 4 is accomplished, then the current flow through the ammeter l3 causing the pull on 4, is a measure of the fluid pressure.

' At Fig. 2 the element 5 may be positioned through movement of the free end of a bimetallic member 13 sensitive to ambient temperature.

At Fig, 3 I show a circuit similar to that 01 Fig. 1 except that the solenoid 4, I1 is replaced by a heater element IS, the coil of which receives the current of the ammeter circuit in a manner similar to the coil ll of Fig. l. The link 3A at its upper end is connected to the Bourdon tube or other variable sensitive device for positioning the same. Normally the link 3A positions the member 5 as in Fig. 1, but such positioning is opposed or modified by a bimetalic thermostatic element'2ll tending to correct for variations in ambient temperature. Current flow through the circuit of the indicating device It passes through the coil l9 heating the thermostatic element 2! for producing a force or movement opposing and balancing that of the link 3A in a manner similar to the solenoid v4, ll of Fig. 1.

The arrangement of Fig. 4 provides a torque amplifier without electrical contacts. It is suitable for use as a controller, since it provides a ready means of running aireversing and variable speed motor in either direction upon a change in the value of the variable, and the motor will run at a speed proportional to the change if an induction motor is used.

- I show at 22 a motor having opposed field wind-,

ings 23, 24 connected in an alternating current circuit and opposedly wound in a manenr such that when the windings 23 and 24 are equally energized a rotor 25 is not urged to rotation in either direction; but when the windings are unequally energized rotation of the rotor 25 will occur in predetermined direction and at a speed dependent upon the unbalance oi the energization of the windings.

The rotor 25 is connected by means of suitable gearing 26 to position a regulating valve 21 controlling fluid pressure within the conduit I, and

- at the same time to position a rack 28 connected to the tube I for positioning the same. The rack 28 carries a pointer 29, relative to an index 30, for providing a visual indication of fluid pressure within the conduit I.

The field windings 23, 23 are conected in parallel across an alternating current power source 3|; and difierently in the primary circuit of transformers 32, 33 respectively; the current flow for energization of 23, 24 being controlled by varying the impedance of the primaries upon variation in the current flow throughthe related secondaries. The secondaries are connected respectively in circuit with electron discharge devices 34, 35 and the arrangement is such that if one of the devices 34, 35 is passing current and the other is not passing current, then one of the field coils 23, 24 is energized and the other is deenergized, so that the rotor 25 is caused to rotate continuously at maximum speed in a given direction. If however both the devices 34, 35 are passing current in equal amounts then the field windings 23, 24 are energized in equal amounts and the rotor 25 is not urged to rotation in either direction. The latter is a condition which exists when pressure within the Bourdon tube 2' is steady and does not vary from a previous condition. Immediately upon a variation or change in the pressure, however, the conditions become unbalanced to an extent wherein one of the field coils 23, 24 is energized to a greater extent than the other and the rotor 25 is caused to rotate in predetermined direction, and at a speeddependent upon the amount of unbalance of the field coil energization. The output of the devices 34, 35 is controlled by a circuit including the grids respectively of the devices, as well as the tube I, whose anode is positioned relative to its cathode by movements of the Bourdon tube 2.

Certain features of the electrical circuit of Fig. 4 are disclosed and claimed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 718,427, filed March 31, 1934. Avoltage divider 35 as well as resistances 37, 38 are provided in the control circuit of the devices 34, 35. If there is no current flow through the tube 7, the 'electron discharge device 35 passes current.and the device 34 does not. When a maximum. current flows through the tube 1 then the device 34 passes current but the device 35 does not. At all intermediate values of current flow through the tube 1 the two devices 34, 35 pass proportionate amounts of current and proportionally or differentially vary the impedance of the secondaries of transformers 32, 33, resulting in a corresponding variation in energization of the field windings 2'3, 24, and if the energize.- tion of the windings is unbalanced, then rotation of the rotor 25 is in predetermined direction and at a predetermined speed dependent upon the amount of unbalance.

It will be observed that when the anode of the tube 1 is in a predetermined position relative to the cathode there will exist a condition of equal current flow through the primaries of the transformers 32, 33, through the secondaries, and through the windings 23, 24 of the motor 22, and that the rotor 25 will not be urged to rofield windings 23, 24 so that the rotor 25 will be caused to rotate in predetermined direction and at a speed dependent upon the amount of movement of the Bourdon tube 2. I

Such rotation of the rotor 25 will be in direction to position the valve 21 for correcting the value of the fluid pressure, or tending to return the pressure to a predetermined value. Simultaneously the rack 28 will be moved in a direction to reposition the anode-cathode relation through movement of the entire tube I relative to the Bourdon tube 2. As such movement progresses, the current flow through the tube 1 is returned toward its predetermined value, thus slowing down rotation of the motor 22 until eventually the fields become balanced and the rotor stops moving. The Bourdon tube itself assumes at all times a position representative of fluid pressure, as does the pointer 29 relative to the index 30, from the interrelation of which may be visually observed the value of the fluid pressure. I

, Such a control as I have described for Fig. 4 is known as a positioning" control where there is a definite position of the valve 2'! corresponding to every value of the fluid pressure. At Fig. 5 Iillustrate a modification wherein there is no tie-back such as the rack 28 for movement of the tube 1, and this is known as a floating" control wherein there is no definite positioning of the valve 2'| for each value of fluid pressure within the conduit. Herein the pointer 29 is positioned relative to the index 30 directly by the Bourdon tube. The motor 22 is geared through suitable reduction means to position the valve 21.

At Fig. 6 I illustrate an arrangement similar to that of Fig. 4 wherein that part of the circuit on the drawings to the right of the points X, Y is identical with the showing of Fig. 4, but that' part to the left illustrates an arrangement for combining the effect of a plurality of variable conditions upon the mptor 22 differentially or additively. I illustrate three tubes 1, I, 1", connected in parallel in a manner such that the current flow applied to the right-hand part of the circuit at the points X, Y is the sum of the separate current flows of the three tubes, each representative of the value of the variable adapted to mechanically position its anode,

For example, this might be used in the contral of the supply of water fed to a steam generating boiler wherein the motor would be adapted to position a water regulating valve and from an interrelation of a measure of steam flow from the boiler, a measure of water flow to the boiler, and'a measure of water level within the boiler.

At Fig. 7 the tubes 1, 1', 'l", are connected in series. At Fig. 8 they are connected in parallel as in Fig. 6 but additionally show at 39, 40, 4| means for varying the sensitivity of the different devices, or in other words varying upon the motor 22, the relative efiect of the plurality of variable conditions such as steam flow, water flow, water level.

At Fig. 9 I illustrate a portion of the circuit wherein variations in current flow applied t X,

-Y for control of current flow through t tube I2 causes a vertical positioning of a pilot valve 42, spring opposed, for control of air pressure which may be used in pneumatic control apparatus or arrangement. Such a pilot valve may be of the type described and claimed in the patent to Clarence Johnson No. 2,054,464, and wherein vertical positioning of the pilot valve stem 42 results in a variation in fluid pressure in either or both of the pipes leading from the pilot valve casing.

At Fig. 10 I illustrate an embodiment of my invention wherein the motor 43 is not of the reversing type but rotates in a single direction at a speed which is a function or the variable actuating the tube 1 from zero to a maximum speed. Such a motor may be a draft fan driving motor or a pump motor, or similar device, whose speed is desirably to be controlled from the value of a variable such as an operating condition in a furnace or for the control oia variable.

The tube 1 controls the phase of the voltage on the grid of. tube 44 through the transformer 45. This varies the current flow through tube 44 and thereby the speed of motor 43. An important feature is that the conductors 46, M may be made practically any length oi. telephone lines, thereby achieving control of a variable at a great distance.

Variation in current flow through the secondary S of the transformer 45 varies the current flow through the primary P as well as the phase angle, for with no current flow through 5 the currentthrough P is practically degrees lagging with respect to voltage. Thisturns oif the tube 44. The primary P and a resistance 48 are in shunt around the tube 44 and voltage across 48 is 90 degrees lagging with respect to voltage across the tube 44, which thus turns the tube off. With maximum current through S the primary current is practically in phase with the voltage and the grid voltage is the same,

resulting in maximum current flow through the tube 44. Thus variation in voltage drop across 48, as well as phase relation, controls current flow through the tube 44 and thereby through the motor 43 for controlling the speed of the motor 43.

While I have illustrated and described certain preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be clear that there are other ways of incorporating the invention in apparatus and electrical circuits and I am not to be limited by the particular showing, but only as to the claims in view of prior art.

Thisapplication is a continuation in part of my co-pending application Serial No. 28,219, entitled Measuring and controlling systems, filed June 24, 1935.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In a measuring arrangement, in combination, a fluid pressure sensitive means, an electric network, an electron discharge device having an anode and a cathode, the anode adapted to be.

1 circuit in amount varying with said voltage drop.

2. A motor control circuit comprising in combination, a power source, an electric circuit, a motor in said circuit adapted to rotate at a speed dependent upon current flow through the circuit, an electron discharge device associated with the circuit and having a plurality of electrodes, and means for varying the eifective area of one of the electrodes to control current flow 5 through the circuit.

3. In a measuring arrangement, in combination, means positioned responsive to the variable to be measured, an electric circuit, an electron discharge device in said circuit and having a plurality of electrodes, said means adapted to change the effective area of one of the electrodes thereby varying the current flow through the circuit, and thermo sensitive means also adapted to change the effective area of one o! the elecll trodes, and means for varying the temperature of said thermo sensitive means in accordance with the current in said circuit.

4. A motor control circuit comprising in combination, a power source, a motor whose speed is determined by current-flow in said circuit, a

plurality of electron discharge devices in said circuit, each device having provision for changing the effective area of one of the electrodes thereby varying current through that device, and 83 separate means ,in operative relation witheach of said devices for varying the effective area of one of its electrodes, said separate means each-'- positioned responsive to the magnitude of a variable so that the current fiow and hence the '0 speed of said motor is under the joint control of all of said last named means.

the current in said second circuit..

6. In combination, a first electric circuit including an electron discharge device having a plurality of electrodes and provision for varying (B the eiIective area of one of the electrodes relative to the other to control current flow, in the circuit, a transformer, the secondary of said transformer connected in said first electric circuit; a second electric circuit including an elec- M tron discharge device, an electric motor, a source of power and the primary of said transformer.

7. In combination, means positioned in accordance with the magnitude of a variable, an electron discharge device having a plurality of elec- 68 trodes, means for relatively moving said electrodes to vary their effective area while maintaining the distance between them constant under the control of said first named means, a source of current and a resistance connected in 00 circuit with said device, a second electron discharge device having a grid, a cathode and an anode, connections between the elements of said second electron discharge device and said circuit whereby variations in the current in said resist- 65 ance .vary its grid-cathode potential relation, and electromagnetic means controlled by the current in the output circuit of said second electron discharge device for also relatively moving the electrodes of said first named device.

70 8. In ameasuring arrangement, in combination, means positioned in accordance with the magnitude of a variable, an electrical network,

an electron discharge device having an anode and a cathode, the anode adapted to be moved by said means relative to the cathode, a source of current for the network, a resistance in the network, movement of the anode varying the voltage drop across said resistance, and an elec-,

trodes, means for relatively moving said elec-' trodes to vary their eifective area and thereby vary the resistance of said electron discharge device to the passage of current under the control of said first named means, an electrical network; a source of current, a resistance, and said electron discharge device connected in said network so that variations in the eflective area of said electrodes cause variations in the current in said resistance, a second electron discharge device having a grid, a cathode and an anode connected to said network so that variations in the current in said resistance vary its gridcathode relationship; and electromagnetic means controlled by the current in'the. outputv circuit of said second electron discharge device! 10. In combination, an electric circuit, an electron discharge device in said circuit having relatively movable elements, means for relatively moving said elements to thereby vary the current flow through said circuit, and follow-up means for relatively moving said elements to produce a change in current in said circuit opposite to the change produced by said first named means, comprising, temperature responsive means ior relatively positioning said elements, and means for varying the temperature of said temperature responsive means in accordance with the current in said circuit.

' 11. In combination, an electric circuit, an electron discharge device in said circuit having relatively movable elements, means for relatively moving said elements to thereby vary the current flow through said circuit, and follow-up means for relatively moving said elements to produce a change in current in said circuit opposite to the change produced by said first named means, comprising, temperature responsive means for relatively positioning said elements, and an impedance connected in said-circuit for maintaining said temperature responsive means at a temperature corresponding to the current in said circuit.

12. In combination, an electric circuit; an electron discharge device in said circuit having relatively movable elements, means for relatively moving said elements to thereby vary the current flow through said circuit, and follow-up means for relatively moving said elements to produce a change in current in saidcircuit opposite to'the change produced by said first'namedmeans, comprising, means responsive to the current-in said circuit, and means for relatively moving saidelements under the control of said last, named means.

JOHN D. RYDER. 

